wet/dry filters??

[dragon3725]

Finally got my trates down below 20 after changing 20 gal of water a week for the past six weeks, started feeding less and changing water more.. Will be laid off here in a few weeks for about a month and a half (good thing) and figured it would be a good time to learn a bit and upgrade my tank.. Im looking at a Ehiem 2227 or a Rapids Pro PS3, I dont really understand how the whole wet/dry thing works but these seem fairly simple to set up and maybe ill understand a little better then.. Question though are these as good as or pretty much the same as a sump wet/dry system (know about as much about those)? Which would be more simple and/or work better?:question:

 

[dcantucson]

Yote uses a wet/dry system. He will be better to give you the inside information. I use a regular sump.

 

[daugherty]

they are very close to the same thing i used a wet/dry for almost 10 years and had no problems with them but some people have trouble keeping nitrates down when using them. they work great to get rid of nitrites

 

[dragon3725]

how complicated are sumps to hook up? I dont really understand how they work, looking at a few on ebay and they say wet/dry sump.. They look to be a three stage glass box, is this the same as a sump?

 

[daugherty]

they are very easy to make out of a smaller fish tank you just need do make a couple baffles to stop all the bubbles

 

[dcantucson]

how complicated are sumps to hook up? I dont really understand how they work, looking at a few on ebay and they say wet/dry sump.. They look to be a three stage glass box, is this the same as a sump?

That's because people tend to over think sumps. They are quite simple. Water comes into them from the tank above and flows through 2-3 sections and is then pumped back up to the display tank. That's pretty much it.

 

[dragon3725]

cool, sounds like the best way to go? so if i bought one of these setups i would need to add a pump to return the water to the tank and gravity does the rest? also my tank does not have inlets or outlets so is there some device for going over the edge of the tank?

 

[dcantucson]

CPR Overflow Boxes

 

[dragon3725]

OK, last question.. Reading some other forums it sounds like i need sand and live rock in one ofe the chambers, is that correct and which chamber?

 

[Bifferwine]

You don't need sand and live rock in one of the chambers. If you want one of the chambers to be a refugium, then you would add live rock rubble and macroalgae to it.